James s



(No Model) A 5 A J. S. OHAPMANXz J. M. SCOTT.

GAME APPARATUS. No. 558,157. Patented Apr. 14, 1896.

Atxofheyi Nrrno STATES TENT nron.

JAMES S. CHAPMAN AND JAMES-M. SCOTT, OF CASTILE, NElV YORK,

ASSIGNORS TO THE ELITSAC MANUFACTURING PLACE.

COMPANY, OF SAME GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,157, dated April 14., 1896. Application filed June 8,1895. Serial No. 552,089. (No model.)

To all whom it may. concern:

Beit known that we,JAMEs S. CHAPMAN and JAMES M. SCOTT, citizens of the United States, residing at Castile, in the county of Wyoming and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to games which are designed to be played indoors, and more especially to a game which combines the essential features of billiards and croquet.

Our invention has for its objects to provide an interesting game of this kind and to produce a game-piece which may be driven by a one and which dispenses with the use of cushions on the game-board and the tip of the cue.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved gameboard. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the game-piece on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the game-board, which is preferably oblong orrectangular in form and provided with a raised marginal rim a. In each corner of the board is arranged a pocket I), and in front of the same stands an arch or wicket c, which is arranged diagonally. On opposite sides of each pocket are arranged two posts d, and between each pocket and the diagonal arch in front of the same is a spot 6, upon which the game-piece is placed after driving it into the pocket.

f represents filling-blocks or stops secured in the corners of the board behind the pockets.

G represents arches or wickets arranged near opposite sides of the game-board midway of its ends and standing substantially at right angles to the raised side rims of the board.

h is a pin or post located in the middle of the game-board, and i represents similar posts arranged around the middle post, preferably in a circular row, as shown. These outer or surrounding posts are uniformly spaced and are sufficiently separated to permit the passage of the game-pieces between them.

The game-pieces preferably consist of ey1indrical blocks or disks J, having smooth fiat ends and provided with an elastic cushion j, which receives the impact of the cue or similar implement, and which causes the piece to rebound when driven against the rim of the game-board in the same manner as a billiardball rebounds upon striking the cushion of a billiard table. The cushion of the gamepiece preferably consists of arubber ring of round cross-section, which is sprung into an annular groove j, formed in the middle of the piece, the groove being so shallow as to cause the ring to project beyond the surface of the piece, as shown in the drawings. The gamepiece slides on one of its flat ends, and in order to reduce the friction toa minimum the surface of the game-board is polished. These cushioned game-pieces dispense with the use of a cushion on the rim of the table and at the tips of the cues, thus effecting a material saving in the cost of the apparatus. Owing to their flat contact-surfaces the pieces do not roll as does a ball, and the board need not, therefore, be accurately leveled, as would be necessary if balls were used.

The pieces may be colored differently or otherwise marked to distinguish them.

Briefly stated, the game consists in driving the game-piece against the middle post 72. and through the arches alternately, the piece being passed through the arches in the order in I which they are numbered in the drawings.

The game is played as follows: After determining which player shall have the first shot, which may be done as in the game of billiards, the player first attempts to drive his piece against the middle post, and having succeeded he shoots the piece through the corner arch numbered 1 and then into the pocket behind the same. He next places the piece upon the spot 6 in front of said arch and again shoots for the middle. post, and having hit the same he next drives the piece through the side arch numbered 2, and so on throughout the series of arches. The player has another shot after hitting the middle post or passing through an arch or into a pocket, and, as in the game of croquet, after making a successful shot he may play on the piece of his opponent whenever the opportu nity offers to retard the latters progress; but in that case the player preferablyhas but one additional shot, instead of two, as in croquet. If the player fails to make an attempted shot, his opponent has the next play. The player who first reaches the pocket behind the last arch, or that numbered 6, Wins the game.

The pins which surround the middle post render it difficult to hit the post from different points of the board, and, if desired, the player may carom against these pins from an unfavorable position, thus introducing an additional element of skill into the game.

The posts on opposite sides of the pockets form obstructions Which increase the difficulty of driving the game-pieces into the pockets from certain points of the board.

We claim as our invention 1. The combination with the board or table havinga raised marginal rim,of corner-arches arranged diagonally in the corners of the board, side arches arranged at opposite sides of the board and standing at right angles to the raised side rims thereof, a fixed post located in the center of the board and a row of fixed posts surrounding said central post, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination With the rectangular board or table having a raised marginal rim, and pockets arr. nged in its corners, of cornerarches arranged diagonally in front of said pockets, side arches arranged at opposite sides of the board and standing at right angles to the raised side rims of the board, a post located in the center of the board and an annular row of posts surrounding said central post, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the rectangular board or table having a raised marginal rim and pockets arranged in its corners, of cornerarches arranged diagonally in front of said pockets, spots arranged between said pockets and said diagonal arches, side arches located at opposite sides of the board and standing at right angles to the raised side rims of the board, a post located in the center of the board, and an annular row of posts surrounding said central post, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination With the rectangular board or table having a raised marginal rim, of pockets arranged in the corners of the board, posts arranged on opposite sides of said pockets, corner-arches arranged diagonally in front of said pockets, side arches arranged at opposite sides of the board, a post located in the middle of the board and a row of posts surrounding said middle post, substantially as set forth.

Vitness our hands this 27th day of May, 1895.

JAMES S. CHAPMAN. JAMES M. SCOTT. lVitnesses:

WHEELER 0. BISHOP, GRANGER DOANE. 

